Brake shoe mounting



Sept. 17, 1940. K' c. cf. FARMER BRAKE SHOE MOUNTING 'Fi1ed'sept-v 27,1958 3- sheets-suena INVENTORv Sept. 17, 1940. c. cA FARMER Y 2,215,351Y BRAKE SHOE MOUNTING Filed sept. 27, 195e 3 SheetsfSheet 2 lIii]Y*1281455-1o`f` .170 ma Y Y INVENToR I5 CLYDEC. FARMER BY Y Y PatentedSept. 17, 1940 UNITED 'STATES 2,215,351 BRAKE suon MOUNTING Clyde C.Famer, Pittsburgh, Pa., assigner to The Westinghouse Air Brake Company,Wilmerding, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application September 27,1938, Serial No. 231,872

l15 claims. 01. 18s-207)d This invention relates to brakes for railwayvei hicle trucks, and more particularly to a brake shoe mounting for arailway truck.

On a railway car truck ci the passexgger type 5 embodying a framesupported on springscarried by the usual equalizing bars and. equippedvwith clasp brakes. the brake shoes are customarily suspended below thehorizontal center lines-of the wheels by means of hanger memberspivotally i connected tothe frame, so that-the total weight of the shoesand hanger members is transmitted to the wheels through the medium ofthe springs.

It has been found that when-brake shoes so' mounted are applied to thewheelsof the truck l with maximum force while the vehicle is travelingat high speed, resultant forces tend to cause the shoes to seekpositions farther down onpthe treads of the wheels, thereby pulling theframe downwardly against the springs. 'ihese extraordinary forces may inextreme cases result in causing the frame to settle into' contact withunsprung `members of the truck, rendering the springs entirelyineffective to permit the necessary freedom for relative motion of thewheels 25 and the frame members normally supported by the springs.

Undesired results of such overloading of the truck springs and abnormaldisplacement of the frame '.:embers include not only hard riding in Y31)the vehicle and dangerous stresses on the truck mem-bers, but also suchvariance of the normal forces acting between the wheels andk the railsas may increase the tendency of the braked wheels to slide. Theundesired action of the truck frame as above described may cause furtherdiiliculty on vehicles equipped with air brakes of the type in whichbrake cylinder pressure is automatically controlled by a speedresponsive governor device. In the latter case, when train speed isreduced,

` `4o following a heavy application of the brakes, vto a value at whichthe speed governor is designed to reduce brake cylinder pressure forpreventing wheel sliding, the force of the overloaded truck springspulling the abnormally displaced brake shoes against the wheels must rstbe withdrawn,

sometimes by an initial reduction in brake cylin der pressure of aboutvforty percent, before the brake forces can be controlled with thenecessary sensitivity by the desired operation of the speed governor.

Itis an object of my invention to provide a brake shoe mounting adaptedto obvlate the difficulties above described in connection with operationof railway trucks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a railway car truckequipped with brake shoe sus- A pending means so designed as to be freeat all i times from the effect of relative motion.l between the truckframe members and the unsprung por- 3 tions of the truck. s Y

A further object of my invention is to provide` a. railway truck of thetype having equalizing bars supported on journal boxes and equippedvwith brake shoes supported wholly or in part by the 10 equalizing bars.A

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowing more detailed description, taken with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein l5 Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partlyin section, of a portion of arrailway truck embodying one form of myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a portion of the vehicle truck takensubstantially along the line 2-2 20 of Fig. i;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken ,along the line 3-3'01Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view, 'partly in section, illustrating anotherform of my invention applied 25 to a railway truck;

Fig. `5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5--5 of.Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view, partly in section,

showing a third'form of the invention applied to 3l).

E mbodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 Referring to Figs, 1 and 2 of thedrawings, there is illustrated in simplied form a portion of a. railwaytruck, including a wheel and the associated elements of the adjacentcorner of the truck, it being understood of course tiat the com- 40plete truck is ofl the type having at least four wheels. Although thetruck may be of any suitable construction it is illustrated by a designsuitable for a passenger car, and comprises a truck frame having spacedside frame members, one of 45 which is designated Ill, and which areconnected together by the usual transversely disposed tran- -som,`notshown. Pedestal jaw members i2 are secured to each side frame member l0,and have slidably guided therein the usual journal boxes 50V I3associated with the bearingvof the wheel and axle assembly il. Forcarrying each of the side frame members I0, there is provided a.longitudinally disposedy equalizing bar i6 having at each end a suitableoit-set portion I1 in rocking en- 55 gagement with the upper surface ofthe corresponding journal box I3, and having secured adjacent eachoffset portion a spring seat I8 upon which rests the usual equalizerspring I9 for supporting the truck frame. In addition to the equal-.-izer springs I9, of which there are usually four, there may be providedsuitable elliptic springs, not shown, mounted intermediate the wheel andaxle assemblies, or to the right of the wheel I4 as shown in Fig. 1.'

According to the invention, the equalizing bar I6 has formed adjacenteach wheel an inwardly curving arm portion 2I which extends from theoffset portion I1 toward the center of the truck. Each equalizing bar I6is further provided at each end thereof with an inwardly curving armportion 22 extending beyond the oiset portion I1, and secured to thecorresponding arm portion at the end of the other equalizing bar of thetruck, not shown, by means of a tie member 23, as shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawings. The arm portions 2| and 22 at each end of the equalizing barare thus adapted to straddle the adjacent wheel of the truck, therespective ends 2|a and 22a thereof being somewhat enlarged and disposedat a suitable distance above the center line -of the wheel and inalignment with the wheel tread.

As is best shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the curved arm 22 of theequalizing bar has formed therein a recess 25 adjacent the outerenlarged end 22a thereof, which enlarged end is provided with a bore 26opening into the recess 25 and.

having its axis disposed parallel to that of the wheel and axle assemblyof the truck.

As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the-arm 2| of the equalizing bar I6is likewise provided with ya recess 26 and a bore in the end 2|a similarrto the bore 26 of the arm 22 above described.

The curved arms 2| and 22- of the equalizing bar 26 are adapted tosupport a pair of clasp brake shoes arranged for braking engagement withthe corresponding wheel of the truck. Referring to Fig. 1 of thedrawings, a'hanger lever 30 is suspended from the arm 22 by means of apin or bolt 3|, which as shown in Fig. 3 is preferably mounted in ashock absorbent bushing 32 of rubber or other suitable material securedwithin the bore 26 of the end 2 gq of the arm. It will be noted in Fig.3 that th `hanger lever 30 is provided with bifurcated portions 34having suitable bores through which the pin 3| extends, which bifurcatedportions are disposed on opposite sides of the enlarged end 22a of thearm 22. The recess 25 in the arm 22 is adapted to permit insertion of acotter pin 35 or other suitable means for locking the pivot pin 3| inplace.

A brake head 36 carrying a brake shoe 31 is pivotally connected to thelower end of the hanger lever 30 by means of a pin 38, and is adaptedfor engagement with the tread of the wheel I4. As best shown in Fig. 2of the drawings, the hanger lever 30 is connected in the usual manner bymeans of a brake beam 40 with the hanger lever associated with the claspbrake shoe for the other Wheel, not shown in the drawings, of the wheeland axle assembly.

At the side of the wheel I4 shown in Fig. 1 opposite the brake shoe 31there is provided another brake head 4I and brake shoe 42, which head issuspended by means of a hanger 43 from the arm 2| of the equalizing barI6. It will be understood that the upper end of the hanger 43 ispivotally connected to the end 2Ia of the arm 2| by means oi a suitablepin 44 secured thereto in a manner similar to the mounting alreadydescribed of the pin 3|. The brake shoe 42 is secured by means of a pin45 to a transversely disposed brake beam 46, the other end of which willbe understood to be similarly associated with the corresponding brakeshoe of the other wheel of the wheel and axle assembly I4. As shown inFig. 1, the brake shoes 31 and 42 are disposed somewhat below thehorizontal center line of the wheel and axle assembly I4, and Vareadapted for operation in the usual manner for simultaneously applyingbraking force to the wheel and axle assembly.

The brake rigging for operating the brake shoes 31 and`42 may include,as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, aJ horizontally disposed brake rod46 having one end pivotally connected by means of a pin 49 to the brakevbeam 40 and the other end similarly connected by means of a pin 5| to alive lever 52. As may be seen in Fig. 1, the lower end ofthe live lever52 is operatively connected to the brake beam 46 associated with theshoe 42, and the upper end of the live lever is piv` otally connected toa pull rod 54 operatively associated with other' portions of the brakerigging not shown in the drawings.

In operation, when the usual brake rigging is operated to effectapplication of the brakes, the pull rod 54 is moved tothe right, asviewed in Fig. l of the drawings, and in so moving acts through themedium vof the live lever 52 and the l rod 43 to operate the hangerlever 30 to force the brake shoe 31 into engagement with the wheel I4,while the live lever 52 at the same time operates the brake beam 46 tocause the shoe 42 to engage the wheel. Application of the pair of brakeshoes to each wheel oi' the truck is thus effected in much the samemanner as in the case of the-usual clasp brake mechanism, but it willAbe apparent that, since the brake shoes are suspended from arms formedon the equalizng bar I6 instead of from a portion of the frame carriedby the truck springs, undesirable downward pull of the truck frameagainst the springs during application of the brakes, as hereinbei'oredescribed, is entirely avoided, regardless of the force with which theshoes are applied to the wheels.

Although the brake shoes are thus suspended from an unsprung portion ofthe vehicle truck, it will be understood that the shoes and the hangerlevers and brake beams associated therewith are, to some extent atleast, relieved ,of road shocks due to the resilient mounting affordedby the rubber pin bushings such as 32, as shown in Fig. 3.

Embodiment shown in Figs.r 4 and 5 For certain classes of railwayservice, it may be desirable to provide yielding means for supporting aclasp brake'mechanism from an unsprung member of the railway truck, suchas the equalizing bar; Such an equipment is disclosed in Fig. 4 of thedrawings, wherein the truck elements such as the side frame member I0having pedestals I2, the journal box I3, wheel and axle assembly I4 andthe truck springs I 9 are substantially vthe same as those shown in Fig.1 of the drawings. According to the present embodiment of the inventionthe truck spring I9 is interposed between the side frame member I0 andan equalizing bar I 6a, which has an offset portion IIa carried inrocking engagement in a suitable groove provided on the journal box I3.It will be understood, of course, that the equalizing bar IBa is shownin Fig. 4 in fragmentary form and that the righthand end thereof, notshown, is similarlyconstructed.

Formed on the equalizingbar |6a intermediate the lower or centralportion and the oilset portion I1a thereof is an annular spring seatportion 55, the axis of whichV is substantially vertically disposed asshown in Fig. 4. If desired, a tie-rod 51 may be secured in any suitablemanner to the spring seat portion 55 as shown in Fig. 5, which tie-rodextends transversely of the truck and is secured to the correspondingportion of the other equalizing bar, not shown, for affording rigidity.

Extending outwardly from the opposite side of portion |10. of theequallzing bar isa prolongation 58, which slopes downwardly and carriesat the end thereof a spring seat portion 60, which is similar to' thespring seat portion 55, and as shown in Fig. 4, is disposedsubstantially in the same plane. l

Pivotally connected tothe prolongation 58 of the equalizing bar by meansof a pin 52 is a carrier member B3, which is provided with a centrallydisposed circular spring seat 84 adapted for alignment with the springseat of the equalizing bar. The carrier member 53 is normally maintainedin a canted position by a coil spring 65, which is interposed betweenthe spring seats 50 and 64 as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. A

guide rod 06 extends upwardly within the spring 65 through a suitablebore formed in the member 63, the lower end of the rod being pivotallyconnected tothe spring seat 60 by a pin 58. The upper end of the rod 68extending outwardly of the spring seat 64 may be provided with a washerand cotter pin 89for limiting upward movement of the carrier member 63under the force of the spring 65.

Y .The carrier member 63 is secured toone end of a transversely disposedcarrier rod 12, which is adapted to support a hanger lever 1|, the upperend of which is pivotally connected to the rod and the lowermost end ofwhich is pivotally connected by means of a pin 14 to the usual brakehead 15 carrying a. brake shoe 16.

At the opposite side of the wheel there is provided a carrier member 80,which has one end pivotally Vconnected by means of a pin 8| to theequalizing bar IBa and is pivotally connected at the other end to acarrier rod 83 extending transversely across the vehicle truck as shownin Fig. 5 of the drawings. The carrier member 80, like the member 63, isnormally maintained in a canted position by a spring 84 which isinterposed between the spring seat portion 55 of the equalizing bar anda spring seat portion Bti/formed on the member 80. A hanger 81 isoperatively connected to the carrier rod 83 in alignment with the treadof the wheel I4, and supports a brake head 88 and brake shoe 89 intheusuall manner.

The clasp brake mechanism including the shoes 16 and 89 is adapted to beoperated to apply and release the brakes through the medium of the usualrigging members including a brake beam 90 connected to the hanger lever1I intermediate the ends thereof, a rod 9| connected at one end of thebeam 90 and at the other end to a live lever 92 which is operablethrough the medium oi a pull rod 93, and a brake beam 9|l operativelyconnected to the lower end of the live lever 92 and to the brake head88.

The operation of the clasp brake mechanism will be understood from theexplanation hereinbeiorepresented in connection with the embodimentshown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. It

will be apparent that 'the dead weight of the brake shoesand theassociated hanger levers and rods is resiliently supported by thesprings 65 and 84 while the brakes are in release position as ment ofthe brake shoes is prevented. When the brakes are again released, by theusual operation of the brake rigging, the respective springs 55 and 84become effective to return the carrier members 63 and 80 to thepositions shown in Fig. 4 for resiliently'supporting the brake shoes ofthe clasp brake mechanism.

It will thus be seen that according to the embodiment of the inventionshown in Fig. 4, there is provided a clasp brake mechanism includingyielding means for supporting the brake shoes independently vof thetruck springs, which clasp brake mechanism is operable to apply thebrakes to any desired degree of force without causing overloading of thetruck springs or undesired displacement of the truck frame. f

Embodiment shoum in Figs. 6 and 7 A third embodiment of my invention isillustrated in Figs. 6 and 'I of the drawings, in which there isprovided a truck including an equalizing bar I6b having an offsetportion |1b carried by the journal box I3 of the wheel and axle assemblyI4, which equalizing bar is arranged in the usual manner to support thetruck frame |0 through the medium of the spring I9. In this f form of myinvention the clasp brake mechanism is adapted to be supported partly bythe unsprung I equalizing bar and partly by the spring supported frame.

As is best shown in Fig. 6, the portion of the equalizing bar I6bassociated with the wheel and axle assembly I4 has formed thereon a lug|00 which is disposed adjacent the offset portion |1b, and a prolongatedportion |0| extending longitudinally from the oiset portion |1b andaligned with the lug |00.

Rigidly secured to the end of the truck frame I0 is a bracket member |02carrying a pin |03 which is pivotally connected to one end of ahorizontally disposed link member |05, the other end of which issimilarly connected to the prolongated portion |0I of the equalizingbarY by means of a pin |06 tted into a suitable opening formed in thatportion.

A bracket |08, similar to the bracket |02, is secured to the side frameI0 intermediate the portion thereof resting on the spring I9 and theusual jaw member I2, the lowerA end of which bracket |08 is spaced fromthe lug I 00 of the equalizing bar by about the same distance as thatbetween the bracket member |02 and the prolongated portion |0|. A linkmember |09 extends longitudinally from the bracket member to the lug,and is pivotally connected to the bracket |08 by means of a pin II| andis similarly connected to the lug |00 by means of a pin |I2.

The link members |05 and |09 thus movably connected to the truck frameand to the equalstruction to those hereinbefore described, and

may include a hanger lever I II journaled on the tie-rod ||4 forsupporting a brake head andshoe H8, and a hanger ||9 operativelyconnected to the tie-rod ||5 and carrying a brake head and shoe |20. Thehanger lever ||1 is operatively connected to the usual 'brake beam |2|which is in turn connectedthrough thev medium of .a rod |22 with a livelever |23, the upper end of which is pivotally connected to a pull rod|24. The lower end of the live lever |23 is operatively connected to abrake beam |25 to which is operatively secured the brake head |20.

When the brakes are applied by'operation of the mechanism in the usualmanner, the force tending to cause the brake shoes to move downwardlyalong the tread of the wheel, as hereinbefore explained, will bedistributed through the medium of the respective link members |05 rand|09 to both the equalizing bar and the truck frame. It will thus beapparent that since only a portion of the downward force acting on theshoes is transmitted to the frame, the `possibility of excessivedownward displacement of the frame and overloading of the truck springsis minimized. On the other hand, the construction and arrangement ofthebrake shoe mounting elements are such as to provide yielding support forthe brake shoes `while the brakes are in release position.

While several embodiments of the invention have been described indetail, it is not my intention to limit its scope to those embodimentsor otherwise than by the terms o! the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what I` claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A brake mechanism for a railway truck of the type including a wheeland axle assembly and an equalizer supported thereby, comprising a brakeelement operable into and out of braking relation with the wheel andaxle assembly, a movable hanger member for carrying said brake element,operating members connected to said hanger member, and mounting meansresiliently supporting said brake element, hanger member and operatingmember from said equalizer.

2. A brake mechanism for a railway truck of the type including a wheeland axle assembly and an equalizer supported thereby, comprising a brakeelement operable into and out of braking relation with the wheel andaxleA assembly, a hanger member carrying said brake element, andyieldable mounting means therefor including an element pivotallyconnecting said hanger member to saidequalizer. Y

3. In a railwaytruck `comprisingva frame, a wheel and axle assembly andan equalizing bar ported bysaid .yieldingl` ing bar. '.1

4. In araiiway truck including a wheel and axle assembly, a'l journalb'ox therefor, vand an eans and said equalizequalizing" bar supported bysaid journal box; and having bracket portions formed thereon on4 and outof ,braking relation with said wheel andaxle assembly, hanger memberssupporting said shoes from said bracket portions, and shock absorbingmeans interposed between said hanger members and said bracket portions.

5. In a raliway truck, in combination, wheel andaxle assemblies havinglaterally projecting journal portions, longitudinally disposed equal-`izing bars supported on said journal portions and having inwardlyextending arm portions arranged in pairs adapted to straddle each wheelof said wheel and axle assemblies, and clasp brake mechanism suspendedfrom said arm portions and adapted for cooperation with said wheel andaxle assemblies.

.6. In a railway truck of the type including wheel and axle assemblieshaving journal boxes, and longitudinally disposed equalizing barsmounted on said journal boxes. the combination therewith of bracketscarried by said equallzing bars adjacent said wheel andv axleassemblies, rods disposed transversely of the truck and having theirends'secured to corresponding brackets of each of said equalizing bars,brakehangers pivotally connected to said transversely disposed rodsadjacent =each of said wheels, and brake shoe elements carried by saidhangers andl operable into and out of braking relation with said wheels.n

'7. In a railway truck including a wheel land axle assembly, a journaltherefor, and an equalizing bar supported on said journal, thecombination therewith of spring means mounted on lsaid equalizing bar. abrake shoe element, and a hanger member supporting said brake shoeelement from said spring means.

8. In a railway truck including spring means, a frame, and a wheel andaxle assembly, in combination, an equalizer adapted to support saidframe through the medium of said spring means and having anl oisetportion journaled on said wheel and axle assembly, springs carried onsaid equalizer at each side of said offset portion, movable memberssupported on said springs, and brakes supported from each oi' saidmovable members and adapted for operation into braking relation withsaid wheel and axle assembly.

v9. In a railway truck including spring means, a frame, and a wheel andaxle assembly, in combination, an equalizer adapted to support saidframe through the medium of said spring means and havingan offsetportion journaled on said wheel and axle assembly, springs carried onsaid equalizer at each side of said oil'set portion, longitudinallydisposed carrier members having their linner ends pivotally connected tosaid equalizer and yieldingly supported on said springs, respectively,hanger members pivotally connected to the vfree ends oi' said carriermembers, and brakes supported by said hanger members for operation intobraking relation with said wheel and axle assembly.

l( l. In a railway truck including spring means, afr'ameandfwheel andaxle assemblies, in combination,` longitudinally disposed equalizersadapted vto supporti said frame through the medium of said spring meansand having offset porfor, longitudinally disposed equalizing. barscarried by said journal boxes, and a frame springsupported on saidequalizing bars, the combination therewith of clasp brake mechanismscomprising brake supporting members disposed in pairs on opposite sidesof said wheel and axle assemblies, each of said brake supporting membershaving one end thereof pivotally connected to said frame and the otherend thereof pivotally connected to the adjacent equalizing bar forpermitting the usual movement of said frame relative to said equalizingbar, brake hanger means pivotally connected to said supporting membersintermediate the ends thereof, and brakes carried by said hanger meansand adapted for braking relation with said wheel and axle assemblies.

l2. Brake mechanism for a railway truck of the class including wheel andaxle assemblies, equalizing bars having offset portions journaled onsaid assemblies outwardly of the wheels thereof, springs carried by saidequalizing bars, and a frame supported on said springs, said brakemechanism comprising carrier members disposed,

rods connecting laterally aligned pairs of saidv carrier membersintermediate the ends of each, and clasp brakes hung from said rodsadjacent each wheel of said wheel and axle assemblies.

13. In a railway truck including a wheel and axle assembly carrying aspring-supported frame,

i`n combination, an unsprung member journaled on said wheel and axlevassembly and having oppositely projecting arm or lug portions. carriermembers pivotally connected to said arm portions and to said frame anddisposed above opposite sides of each wheel, and clasp brake mechanismoperatively supported by said arm portions for braking relation withsaid Wheel and axle assembly.

14. In a railway truck of the class including wheel and axle assemblies,springs, and a truck frame, the combination ot equalizing bars journaledon said wheel and axle assemblies and arranged to support said framethrough the medium of said springs, said equalizing bars having bracketportions formed thereon adjacent brake shoes, movable hanger members forcarrying said brake shoes kin operative alignment with placement of saidhanger members and shoes with respect to said equalizing bars, forvthereby minimizing vibration of said associated parts of the truckWhile relieving said wheel and axle, as-

semblies of pounding under the full dead Weight of said hanger membersand shoes.

15. In a railway truck of the cla-ss including wheel and axleassemblies, springs, and a truck frame, the combination ofequalizinglbars journaled on said wheel and axle assemblies and arrangedto support said frame throughthe medium of said springs, said equalizingbars having bracket portions formed thereon adjacent each wheel of saidwheel and axle assemblies, brake shoes, hanger members for carrying saidbrake shoes in operative alignment with said wheel and axle assemblies,and shock absorbing elements formed of rubber or 4the like'interposedbetween said bracket portions and said hanger members, said .elementsbeing adapted to permit limited displacement of said hanger members andshoes with respect to said equalizing bars, for thereby minimizingvibration of said associated parts of the truck while relieving saidwheel and axle assemblies of pounding under the full dead Weight of saidhanger members and shoes.

i CLYDE C. FARMER.

each wheel of said wheel and axle assemblies, f

